In a standard classroom setting, an instructor conveys information to a group of learners in the form of a lecture. The lecture is typically interspersed with discrete opportunities for learners to engage with the instructor and their classmates. Because the ratio of learners to instructors is often large, it is impractical for the instructor to actively engage each learner during each session. Many learners, therefore, miss valuable opportunities to process the material and interact with their instructors and peers.
Opportunities to actively engage are especially important when the instructor is imparting practical, real-life skills. One model for teaching such practical skills is an apprenticeship where the instructor focuses his or her attention on a single learner. However, apprenticeships are not always an option for every learner because they are expensive and time-consuming. Additionally, learners in apprentice-style relationships miss out on opportunities to engage with and learn from their peers. There is currently a need for an instructional method which combines the active, individualized engagement of an apprenticeship with the peer-learning opportunities of a typical classroom setting.